Stop motion for looms



Oct. 12, 1937. v. c. HASSOLD STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed May 23, 1954 -4 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 12, 1937. v; c. HASSOLD STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed May 25, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 171116212011 View! G fifims'old Oct. 12, 1937. v. c. HASSOLD STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed May 23, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNITE STATES STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS Victor C. Hassold, Chestnut Hill, Pa., assignor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 23, 1934, Serial No. 727,098

1 Claim.

My invention relates to stop motions for looms, and relates more particularly to that type of stop motion in which an electrical circuit is employed for effecting the actuation of the knock- :5 off mechanism which brings the loom to a stop.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide, in a loom, improved means for bringing the same to a stop whenever a warp end breaks or'becomes unduly slack.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for bringing the loom to a stop whenever either end of a harness frame falls below its normal lowermost position by reason of breakage or undue stretching of the actuating straps.

A further object of my invention is to provide, in an electrical warp stop motion, an improved form of timing device for so controlling the circuit that the current will be supplied to the detector devices only at the proper time, that is to say, when theharness frame carrying the detector devices is in a lowered position.

With the foregoing objects in view, my invention contemplates the provision in an electrical warp stop motion of means for maintaining the actuating circuit closed after thesame has been momentarily closed by detector devices.

More specifically considered, my invention contemplates an effective arrangement for efficiently 0 utilizing the invention described and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,949,747, dated March 6, 1934, to John Jacob Kaufmann, for

Warp stop motion, although it should of course be understood that my invention is also applica- 5 ble to warp stop motions having other forms of detector devices. 7

The nature and characteristic featuresof my invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection Q- with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an arrangement of circuits, and the parts controlling the same and controlled thereby, em- 5 bodying the main features of my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the end portion of a harness frame so constructed and arranged as to form a component part of my present invention, the same having shown associated therewith contact devices for establishing an electrical circuit whenever one ,end of the frame falls below its normal lowermost position;

5 Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the upper portion of one of the heddles used in the frame shown in Fig. 2, the upper supporting rod and contact bar upon which said heddles are mounted being shown in section;

' Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the contact members which are shown in side elevation inFig. 2;

Fig. .5 is a side elevation of a device for bringingthe knock-off mechanism into action when the circuit is closed, the casing in which said device is mounted being shown in section, and the parts being shown in the positions assumed when the loom is running normally;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the device shown in Fig.5, the cover plate being removed;

Fig. '7 is a top or plan view of the device shown in Fig. 5, the casing here also being shown in section;

Fig; 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but with the parts'in the positions assumed when the circuit is closed to bring the knock-off mechanism into p y;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the timing device, the shaft on which the rotating parts thereof are mounted being shown in section;

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of the rotating parts of the timing device shown in Fig. 9;

and

loom harness frame having associated therewith detector mechanism for establishing an electrical circuit whenever a warp end is broken or unduly slack, or whenever either end of the frame falls below its. normal lowermost position by reason of a broken or stretched actuating strap or cord.

As there shown, the harness frame comprises top and bottom rails l5 and l 6, respectively, made of wood and connected at their end portions by side struts [1, made from metallic bars. The

frame is also provided with the usual upper and lower heddle supporting rods l8'the ends of which are positioned in the side struts l! of the frame and secured therein-in any preferred manner, such for example as by means of springs 20, which are mounted in the side struts I1 and which have their end portions engaging suitable apertures ii in the projecting outer ends of the heddle supporting rods l8.

The heddles 22 are preferably of the type which are made from a thin fiat strip of metal or wire. Each of the heddles is provided with the usual central warp eye 23, through which an individual warp end 25 extends, and with a mortise or slot 25 near each end thereof for mounting the heddle on the supporting rods 18. The slots or mortises 25 are elongated so as to permit relative vertical movement of the heddles with respect to the frame and the supporting rods.

Each of the heddles 22 is also provided with an additional slot 25 through which a contact bar 27 extends. The contact bar comprises a central metallic strip 28 mounted in an enclosing metallic envelope 25, U-shaped in cross section. The central metallic strip 28 is insulated from the envelope 29 by means of a strip 30 of insulating material, also U-shaped in cross section. The upper edge of the central metallic strip 28 projects above the upper edge of the enclosing envelope 29.

The ends of the contact bar 2'! are mounted in the side struts i! of the frame in suitable slots therein, so shaped as to permit said contact bar to have a range of vertical movement with respect to the frame, whereby the same may be raised and lowered when the frame is actuated, for a purpose and in a manner to be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The upper end of the slot 25 in each heddle, through which the contact bar 21 extends, is preferably provided with an inclined marginal edge 3!, also for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The central metallic strip 28 of the contact bar extends at one end beyond the end of the enclosing envelope 29 thereof, where it is notched as at 32, the notch 32 being engaged by the eye bolt 33. The eye bolt 33 is normally under the tension of a spring 34, which holds the same in engagement with the notched end 32 of the central metallic strip 28, thus serving as a means of preventing longitudinal movement of the contact bar 2? in the frame, and also as a means of maintaining the same in the electrical circuit. The eye bolt 33 and the spring 34' are carried by a suitably shaped piece 35 of insulating material, mounted on the end strut I! of the frame.

The spring 34, which imparts the tension to the eye bolt 33, is connected at its lower end to a bolt 35, which also serves as a means for attaching one end of a wire 31. The wire 31 extends downwardly, within a protecting tube 38, along the outside of the end strut l'l, terminating at its lower end within a block 39 of insulating material, where it is electrically connected, by means of an eye bolt 50, to one end of a coil spring Al, to which the current is periodically supplied, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

I The enclosing envelope 29 of the contact bar 21 makes an electrical connection with the end strut H where it passes through the slot thereof, and this end strut I! is grounded bymeans of a coil spring 42, one end of which is attached by in electrical connection with each other by reason of the metallic contacts existing therebetween.

An arm 50, made from a metallic bar, extends outwardly from each of the side struts I! to which it is secured. The arm 50 is electrically connected to the end strut IT at the point where it is secured thereto.

At each end of a set of harness frames in a loom, there is mounted a contact member 5! comprising a bar having a horizontal upper edge. The contact members 5! are so positioned that in the event that one. of the actuating straps or cords (not shown) of the harness frame should break or become unduly slack, and either end of the harness frame should fall below its normal lowermost position, the arm 50 carried at that end of the frame will come in contact with the upper horizontal edge of the contact member 5|. The arms 50, in the normal operation of the loom, do not come in contact with the upper horizontal-edges of said contact members.

For supporting the contact members 5| in proper position, each of said members is provided with a lug portion 52, by means of which it is mounted on the upper end of a vertical standard 53. The fastening nuts 54, however, are suitably insulated from the lug 52 by means of insulating washers 55, and an insulating bushing 56 serves to insulate the standard 53 from said lug. The lug 52 of the contact member 5| is provided with a screw 57 for the attachment of a wire, by means of which the member 5! is included in an electrical circuit, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

For the purpose of insuring that the current will be supplied to the detector parts at such time only as the harness frame is in its lowered position, there is provided a timing device, shown in detached detail in Figs. 9 to 11 of the drawings.

The timing device as shown consists of a pair of flat spring members 50 and 6! held in parallel relationship by means of an interposed block 62 of insulating material at the rear ends thereof, the front ends of the springs 65 and 6! being free to be flexed in a manner to be presently described. The spring members 60 and 6| are also provided at their rear ends with binding posts 63 and 64, respectively, and nuts 55 threaded thereon for attaching the circuit wires thereto.

The spring members 55 and 6! are mounted in a channeled block 55, being held in position therein by means of a bolt El. The spring members are insulated from the bolt by means of a bushing 68, and are insulated from the channeled block in which they are mounted by means of suitably shaped saddle pieces 59 of insulating material. The channeled block 66 has a vertically extending standard ill, by means of which it may be mounted in a suitable bracket (not shown) of any preferred design.

The free ends of the springs 68 and 5|, are brought into contact with each other at the proper times by means of rollers H, made of insulating material. The rollers H are journaled in bracket members 12 which are clamped to one of the rotating shafts 73 of the loom. The bracket members F2 are preferably made of sheet metal, suitably shaped so that each of said members will be provided with two side portions "M.

The side portions M of the bracket members 12 are V-shaped, so that the inner margins 15 thereof will readily accommodate themselves to various sizes of shafts found in different looms. The ends of the arms of each V-shaped side portion 74 7 piece 98, this armature being carried on the free with which the devices shown in Figs. 2 to 11 of of" each bracket member '12 are connectedby bridge portions I0, through which the clamping bolts II extend. The clamping bolts H are provided with nuts I8 which are seated betweenthe side portions I4 of the brackets I2.

It will thus be seen that the actuating rollers II of the timing device may be readily adjusted to their proper positions on the shaft, so that as the shaft rotates; said rollers H will be brought at the proper time to bear against the free end of the upper spring member 60, flexing the same until it contacts with the lower spring member 6|, thereby completing the circuit at this point.

The device for bringing the knock-off mechanism into play, and for maintaining the actuating circuit closed after the same has been momentarily closed by the detector devices, is shown in Figs. 5 to 8 of the drawings. As there shown, the device is mounted in a casing 80, having a removable cover 8| on the front thereof to permit access to the interior parts -for the purpose of effecting the necessary adjustments.

Binding posts 82 and 83 are secured to the casing 00, being suitably insulated therefrom in the usual manner. The binding posts serve to connect the line wires of the circuit to the, device.

A bracket 84 is secured to the rear wall of the casing 80, said bracket having secured thereto an extending arm 85 which serves to support the coil 86 of an electromagnet. An armature 8? is pivotally connected to lugs 88 extending from the bracket member 84, by means of pivot screws 89. A spring 90 tends to impel the armature 81 to the normal inoperative position, which position is determined by means of an adjusting screw 9| mounted in the armature 81. The head of the screw 9I bears against an extension 92 of the bracket member 84 when the armature 81 is in its normal inoperative position.

The armature 81 carries a downwardly extending arm 99, the lower end of which is bent over, as at 94, and provided with a suitable perforation 99 for the connection thereto of the wire or rod 96 which serves to raise the dagger 91 of the shift lever operating mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The upper pole piece 98 of the electromagnet extends through the bracket arm 85, projecting above the upper surface thereof. An armature 99 is arranged in proximity to the upper pole end of a relatively light leaf spring I00, which in turn is sup-ported on an insulating block IOI at the rear end of the projecting arm 05 of the bracket member 84. The armature 99 is normally held away from the pole piece 98 of the magnet by the tension of the spring I00, being limited in its movement away from said pole piece by means of an adjusting screw I02 threaded in the casing 80. V

The armature 99 is arranged in a shunt circuit line, the arrangement being such that when the coil 56 is energized the circuit will be completed through the armature 99 and the pole piece 98, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. The purpose of the foregoing arrangement is to provide a relatively sensitive and quick acting means for completing the circuit through the coil 86, and for maintaining the same after a momentary contact is established by the detector parts carried by the harness frame.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is there shown a typical arrangement of circuits, and the parts controlling the same and controlled thereby; in connection the drawings are adaptable for use, although it will of course be understood that various modifications inthe arrangement of the circuits may be made, to meet the varying conditions found in practice.

As there shown, I03 represents a source of electrical energy, such for example as a battery, one terminal of which is connected by line I04 to a ground as indicated at' I05. The other terminal of the battery I03 is connected by line I06 to a stationary contact member I0'I mounted upon, but suitably insulated from, a portion of the loom frame (not shown) adjacent the knockoff lever.

The knock-off lever I08 carries a spring arm I 09, adapted in the normal operation of theloom to engage the contact member I01. The spring arm 509 is insulated from the knock-off lever I08, and is conected by line IIO to one end of the coil 86 of the electromagnetic device shown in Figs. 5 to 8 of the drawings, and hereinbefore described.

The other end of the coil 86 is connected by line 5 II to one of the binding posts 64 of the timing device shown in Figs. 9 to 11 of the drawings, and hereinbefore described in detail. The other binding post 63 of the timing device is connected by line I i2 to the lower end of the coil spring II, which is electrically connected, by the several parts hereinbefore set forth, to the central metallic strip 28 of the contact bar 21. The other coil spring 42, which is electrically connected to the side struts I'i, lieddle supporting rods l8, and heddles 22 of the frame, is connected by line I I3 to a ground as indicate-d at H4.

A shunt line H5 extends from line III to the spring I 90 which supports the armature 99 at the top of the electromagnetic device hereinbefore described, the pole piece 98 of this electromagnetic device being grounded as indicated by line H9 and ground 1, so that when the coil 86 is energized and the armature 99 contacts with the pole piece 98, an alternative path for the current is provided, for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Shunt lines II8 are connected to lines II I. These shunt lines I I3 extend to the bars 5|, hereinbefore described, which are mounted at the sides of the heddle frames.

The rod 96, which is connected at its upper end to the arm 93 carried by the armature 87 of the electromagnetic device, is conected at its low er end to the dagger 91 which is carried by the shipper rod I I 9, the arrangement being such that when the dagger 91 is raised it will be engagedby' a lug I20 carried by the lay I2 I, and thereby cause the shipper rod II9 to be actuated by the movement of the lay whenever the core 88 of the electro-magnet is energized. The shipper rod II9 also carries a lug I22, which is adapted to engage and actuate the knock-off lever I08 when said shipper rod I I9 is thus actuated.

The operation of the device may now be explained. It may first be pointed out that when the loom is functioning normally, the knock-off lever I08 will be in such position that the spring contact member l 01, thereby maintaining the circuit open whenever the loom is not operating. When the loom is functioning normally, the circuit will be open at the harness frame, but in the event of certain contingencies a number of alternative paths for the current are provided, as will hereinafter appear.

When a harness frame descends to its lowermost position, the tension imparted by the warp ,ends 24 controlled by the heddles-22 in said frame will cause the entire set of heddles therein to be raised, this action being permitted by reason of the elongation of the slots 25 in the heddles. However, the lower end of the slot 26 of each heddle is so located in the length of the heddle that it will engage the contact bar2'i, and the entire set of heddles in a frame will elevate said contact bar with respect to the frame as the frame descends.

In this manner, the contact bar 2'! will be brought to such position in the frame that in the event of one of the heddles 22 falling with respect to the frame, by reason of the warp end 2% controlled thereby being broken or unduly slack, the inclined marginal edge 3| at the upper end of the slot 26 of said heddle will contact with the central metallic strip 28 of the contact bar.

Meanwhile, the shaft 73 of the loom is rotated to a point where one of the rollers H will have been brought into engagement with the spring 66 of the timing device, flexing the same until it contacts with the lower spring Si of said timing device. 1

Current will then flow from the battery 33, or other source of electrical energy, through line N36 to contact member Hl'i, thence through spring arm 19 and line i 59 to the coil 86 of the electromagnetic device, causing the same to be energized. The current, after passing through the coil 85, passes byline Hi to the binding post {it carried by the lower spring iii of the timing device, thence through said springs 6i and 60, to binding post 63, thence by line H2, through coil spring 4| to wire 31, thence through bolt spring 36, and eye bolt 33, to the central metallic strip 28 of the contact bar 21.

Current then passes from the central metallic strip 28 of the contact bar, through the dropped heddle 22, thence through the heddle supporting rods I8 and one of the metallic side struts ll of the frame, thence through eye bolt 43, coil spring 42, and line H3, to ground EM, it of course being understood that as one of the terminals of the batter I03 is grounded by line Hi l and ground I05, the circuit will thus be completed.

1 It will be seen, however, that as the contact made by the timing device is of but momentary duration, and that as the frame rises the contact established by the dropped heddle 22 with the central metallic strip 28 of the contact bar 2? will also be broken, it is desirable that means be provided for maintaining the energization of the coil 86. For this purpose, the auxiliary armature 99 is provided, which is relatively light in weight, and is supported by a sensitive spring 5%. Hence, as soon as the circuit is established as above set forth, the armature 99 will be attracted to the pole piece 98 of the magnet, making an electrical contact between the armature 59 and the pole piece 98. The current, after passing through the magnet, will then pass from line i l I, by means of line H5, to the armature 99, thence through the pole piece 98, which is grounded as indicated by line i it and ground I I1.

Whenever the coil 86 is energized, the armature 3'! will be attracted toward the lower pole piece thereof, causing the rod 96 to raise the dagger 9? which is carried by the shipper rod l l9. When the dagger 91 is thus held in its raised position, it will be encountered by the lug I20 carried by the lay, so that as the lay moves, the shipper rod H9 will be actuated, and the lug 22 carried by said shipper rod will engage the knockoff lever H28, causing the same to be brought to a position to stop the loom. When the knock-off lever N38 is thus actuated, the spring arm Hi9 carried thereby will be brought out of contact with the contact member Hill, so that the circuit will thereafter remain open until the broken or slack warp end is tied up or adjusted, as the case may be, and the loom is again started by the operator.

It will also be seen that whenever one end of the harness frame falls below its normal lowermost position, the coil 83 of the electromagnet will be energized, the current in this instance passing from line iii, through one or the other the shunt lines 558 (depending on which end of the frame has dropped), to the contact member 56, thence passing through arm 53, thence to the metallic end strut if of the frame, through coil spring 32, and line i E3 to ground l M.

By the arrangement hereinbefore described, there is provided a warp stop motion in which the establishment and maintenance of the circuit, until the knock-off mechanism is brought into play, will be insured, but in which accidental stoppage of the loom, by reason of the closing of the circuit during the period in which the harness frame is being raised and lowered, will be reduced to a minimum. v

The arrangement is such that a single timing device may, if desired, be used for a plurality of harness frames.

Furthermore, the arrangement is such that in the event of the-actuating cords or straps of the harness frame becoming broken or stretched, the

loom will be automatically stopped, and this without undue complication of the circuit or circuits employed.

I claim:

In an electrical stop motion for looms the combination with a loom harness including a harness frame, warp shedding heddles, means for supporting said heddles in the frame, a contact bar mounted in the upper portion of the frame so as to have a range of vertical movement with r spect thereto and adapted to be moved to its operative position when the frame is lowered, each of the heddles having a portion normally free of engagement with the contact bar but adapted to contact therewith to establish an electrical circuit when the warp end controlled by said heddle is broken or unduly slack, of a timing device for said circuit adapted to maintain said circuit open except when the harness frame is in its lowered position, an electromagnet controlled by the circuit, an armature operable by said electromagnet, mechanism controlled by said armature for stopping the loom, an auxiliary armature operable by said electromagnet, and means controlled by said auxiliary armature for maintaining the energization of said electromagnet after its initial energization.

VICTOR C. HASSOLD. 

